41 replies to this topic

[Renegade]

I look 1/3 500mg capsule this morning. My brain is 'on form' today. Here is an example of a source which recommends these dosages http://www.raysaheli...lcarnitine.html

I am interested as to whether I can begin to increase the dosage over time. I will go back up to 250mg in a week or so.

[Renegade]

At 250mg, a familiar brain fog seems to creep in. Around 150mg a day seems to be just right for me.

Any other experiences? ALCAR seems to be widely used on these forums and it would be interesting to hear more experiences with regards to different doses.

[nowayout]

I haven't tried 250mgs as the brand I have comes in 500mg caps...

Easy. OPen the capsule and stir into a glass of water. Drink half today and half tomorrow.

[xsiv1]

For whatever reason, I've become totally used to 500mgs. No overstimulation. No adverse effects on sleep. I take one in the morning along with whatever racetam I decide to use and perhaps some choline depending on my diet. It increases alertness for me and I feel sharper each day. I don't really take more than 500 per day although on weekends I have taken 2 capsules and get the same effect I do in the morning.

[Renegade]

For whatever reason, I've become totally used to 500mgs. No overstimulation. No adverse effects on sleep. I take one in the morning along with whatever racetam I decide to use and perhaps some choline depending on my diet. It increases alertness for me and I feel sharper each day. I don't really take more than 500 per day although on weekends I have taken 2 capsules and get the same effect I do in the morning.

This is very interesting when considering the rodent studies demonstrating anxiogenic to anxiolytic effects over long term dosing!

I am going back to my 150mg dose and will slowly work my way up to test my reactions.

[xsiv1]

For whatever reason, I've become totally used to 500mgs. No overstimulation. No adverse effects on sleep. I take one in the morning along with whatever racetam I decide to use and perhaps some choline depending on my diet. It increases alertness for me and I feel sharper each day. I don't really take more than 500 per day although on weekends I have taken 2 capsules and get the same effect I do in the morning.

This is very interesting when considering the rodent studies demonstrating anxiogenic to anxiolytic effects over long term dosing!

I am going back to my 150mg dose and will slowly work my way up to test my reactions.

Over some time it became anxiogenic unless I combined it with a significant dose of a racetam. I've since taken a break and am once again accustomed to 500mgs lol. Anything below that and I don't notice a single discernible difference in mental alertness, mood, nor cognition. I've never ventured to go beyond 500mgs in a day though. Just never tried it but am not against the idea for any reason except to perhaps think it may adversely effect my sleep that night.

[nowayout]

I find alcar too anxiogenic but not carnitine tartrate or fumarate, which I take for mitichondrial rejuvenation.

[xsiv1]

Today at around 2:40, I took 500mgs ALCAR, some NADH and Methylcobalamin (B12), and it powered me through the rest of the day and into a significantly taxing workout and then yard work and kids' baths. Worked awesome.

[estranged]

I tried almost every brain supplement but each of them made the condition worse. ALCAR is one of them. It gave me terrible brain fog at 500mg a day. I couldn't concentrate and read anything while on it.

Using geriforte and ashvaganda from Himalaya now. Best supplements I have ever tried.

[xsiv1]

Very interesting how is affected everyone differently even me. At one time, 500mgs was far too anxiogenic. Today, 500mgs is just right. I take it mid afternoon when my afternoon slump hits, and it seems to give me mental and perhaps physical energy unless it's simply mental which allows me to get through an hour without.

[Ames]

http://www.lef.org/a...itine_index.htm

If you dont want to sift through all the above.... http://www.lef.org/m...-Decline_01.htm
A 6-12-month randomized, placebo-controlled trial using 1,500-3,000 mg/day of acetyl-L-carnitine showed that patients taking this safe and effective supplement had statistically greater scores on tests of memory and other cognitive functions.

 

In my opinion and experience, it's absolutely unreliable to depend on even good studies for how any supplement might effect you. Overall effect as well as dosage almost always needs to be arrived at through experience. I can think of a variety of supplements and noots, fully supported by good studies, that had unacceptable and sometimes dramatic side effects in practice. Similarly, there are underrated, or at least under-promoted supps/noots.
 

I took 250mg this morning, as I have been doing over the past week and I'm feeling really fogged out, slow and fatigued. I've had this feeling intermittently over the past week and I have a very strong feeling that its related to the ALCAR. I'm going to reduce to around 150mg tomorrow. I'm a little sceptical of the potential benefits of this dosage in comparison to the doses that are generally recommended, but I guess everyone is different (I seem to be particularly sensitive to noots) and there has not been studies comparing different dosages on cognition.

 

 

I look 1/3 500mg capsule this morning. My brain is 'on form' today. Here is an example of a source which recommends these dosages http://www.raysaheli...lcarnitine.html

I am interested as to whether I can begin to increase the dosage over time. I will go back up to 250mg in a week or so.

 

There seems to be a general default assumption that, at least in the context of my original post, that 250 mg = low dose. That's not the case. I'm likely referring to a dose that is lesser or equal to 20-30 mg. Also, I would look to purge any bias toward "working up" to a higher dose = better.

 

I'm not disparaging or questioning the validity of a high dose for those for whom it might work. I'm only suggesting that one starts with the absolute minimum dose and conservatively work up to find an optimal dose. Don't be afraid of experimenting with a low dose for an extended period (1-2 weeks). I'd also recommend experimenting with every-other-day dosing of even the low dose. There is nothing holding you to such a routine, but possibly everything to gain. It just requires a little extra patience and a slightly lower time preference.

 

 

[Soma]

The problem with ALA is that very worrying finding that even a short period of ALA use caused CR to be ineffective in prolonging lifespan in rodents. This brings up the worry that ALA might be making certain permanent changes in your body that may make you unresponsive to future life-extension interventions. I think this is a very good reason NOT to take ALA until more is known.

Wow, that is huge. I wonder why this isn't brought up more. ALA is a very popular supplement and I'm sure scores of people in this community have at least trialed it. Using it for just a short time will make unresponsive to CR?